308 GTSi Steering Rack Removal

I’m stuck.

The rack’s unbolted from the chassis, I’ve removed the pinch bolt from the pinion extension (Ref. 7), but I can’t get the rack separated from that extension.

I watched a You Tube video “Ferrari 308 Steering Rack Removal” (for an ‘85 308) and that part seemed pretty simple; remove the pinch bolt and the extension slides up into the firewall away from the rack. Mine won’t budge, and the rack can’t move forward because it’s hitting the crossmember it’s mounted to. Isn’t the ‘85 basically the same as the ‘81 in that regard? It looked so easy in the video. It actually showed moving the pinion extension up into the firewall by hand. Is there something inside the cabin that needs to be disconnected first?

I’ve reviewed every forum thread I can find regarding rack removal/repair, and none of those indicate that separating the rack from the extension would be problematic. They basically say “remove pinch bolt, separate rack from shaft, and remove rack through driver’s side wheel well”.

As difficult as this has been to remove, I can’t imagine how much fun it’ll be to install the extension back onto the rack and get it indexed properly.

What am I missing?








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Loosening number 24 and 2 in the diagram will allow the column to retract as it can slide. Then you can remove it from the rack.

 

Your title says steering rack but your diagram shows steering column? Two different parts.

 

My sticks there too. Tapping a screw driver into the slot is my go-to to pop that apart. Do note that its not keyed or indexed and needs to go back together the way it came apart or the steering wheel won't sit straight and you'll need to pull it apart again to fix it so I mark it, ask me how I know

 

This!

 

In your pictures it looks like the rack spline is separated from the pinion extension..what am i missing?

You don't need to remove the pinion extension from the steering column.

 

Oops! Let me clarify.

The two photos are from the You Tube video I mentioned where he easily slid the steering shaft (pinion extension) upward by hand. Mine absolutely will not do that (yet). I’ll try loosening 24 and 2 as suggested and see how that goes.

 

I didn't need to loosen 24 and 2 when removing my rack. The two U joints (6 & 38) allow the lower column to flex enough to separate the #6 joint from the rack. Mine did require a wedge (screwdriver) in the slot of the #6 U joint to break it loose from the rack pinion spline (as suggested by @mk e).

 

When I did it I had to loosen 24 and 2. It will for sure make it easier.

 

I didn't have to loosen anything but that collar bolt. You will need to pry it away... not going to come away with just hand strength.

You'll want to put a screw driver in that collar and lever it open a bit as well (where the small bolt that tightens it is located). That will also help.

If the rack is completely free aside from that, you should have plenty of room to slide it down by using a pry bar.

 

I have tons of footage that I just haven't edited. I'm going to try and put up the rack vid and I'll link it here if you want.

 

I remember marking mine before removing it

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Please do!

 

Here you go... I just threw this together so the editing might not be great but did my best

Removing the spline is around the 7 min mark

 

Thanks for posting the video! It’s excellent. It looks like yours was a fight to get off, perhaps slightly easier to reinstall. My pinion extension doesn’t seem to move much (if any), so I’m going to get under the column and try to loosen the 24/2 connection in hopes of being able to slide the pinion extension upward. Wish me luck…..

 

Sure, happy to help

Yeah putting it back in on the spline wasn't as hard as taking it off. Getting the bolts back in... that was just annoying and time consuming.

My extension actually didn't move at all until I tried to put the new rack on the spline. I think it was more or less "frozen" from time a few bumps and it moved... not much though, just slightly.

Good luck man!

 

I’m not able to easily see/access the connection 24 and 2 as shown in the diagram. After looking at my column, I’m not sure I even have the correct parts diagram.

Oddly enough, when I purchased this car a few years ago, it had a used component marked “steering shaft” in a plastic bag in the trunk. I wasn’t sure if it was an original part removed and saved, or a used part intended for a future repair. It does seem to match items 2 and 24 in the diagram I posted.


My column does not seem to match the diagram, but then again I’m not sure if the diagram is supposed to match the vehicle 100%. Mine’s a US spec LHD 1981 GTSi. The pinion extension and universal joints coming up out of the firewall seem to match the diagram. The item they connect to (closer to the steering wheel) does not match the diagram. Connection 24/2 if it does exist on my car would seem to be encased in the shiny black housing. Is anything shown in my photos the “magic connection” that when loosened will allow the pinion extension to move away from the steering rack?

 

This is the extra “steering shaft” that came with the car when I purchased it. It seems to match the diagram, and I was hoping to see something like that when I looked under the dash of my car. If it’s there, it’s at least partially hidden.
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This is a snap from a video of a 308 column rebuild. This seems to match the diagram, it clearly shows parts 24 and 2, and if my column looked like this I’d know exactly what to loosen. Can anyone shed some light on what I’m missing?
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Hmmm ..brite zinc instead of yellow zinc plated bolts usually means parts were changed.

I would pull the steering wheel and drop the column, then screw driver to wedge the the pinch clamp open and a mallet to knock it apart. That is how I get mine apart.....Looks like your favorite brand penatrating oil might also help

 

You make it sound easy.

I’ve had the steering wheel off, simple enough. Which bolt(s) must be removed to drop the column? 34?

 

Sorry....I've had mine out a few times for different reasons so to me its just an "ok, get on with it" item.

The reason I say drop the column is that shiny black bit shouldn't be there.....it look suspisionously like a power steering conversion that replaced that the collapsible member you found making the column length fixed and the only way its coming apart is if you drop the column. I have a DIY version in my car not what i see in your pics...but I think that is what I'm seeing.

pop out the horn button (I put tape on the wire, the horn blows if it touches anything) and then 6 screws hold the steering wheel on. I pull the steering wheel any time I need to do ANYTHING under the dash, I find it SOOOO much easier to get under there with the wheel off. The column has 3 big electric pulls iirc that you need to unplug, then those bolts, #34 go through 2 brackets which each have 2 bolt and need to be removed to actually get the column out.

Another option, which I have not tried, might be to unbolt the rack and use the mallet/pry bar to drive the rack out vs trying to move your u-joint which I strongly suspect does not move so trying to move the rack instead might be way easier.

 

I agree with Mark.

That shinny black "box" is either a power steering unit or a gear unit to make the rack turn faster, or slower than the steering wheel.

If there are no wires or plumbing running to it, then it is a gear unit.

 

Yeah, could be a gear box. Maybe check lock to lock steering wheel turns quick. Stock is 3.2 iirc. I have a 2:1 gearbox so 1.7 in my car. A quick rack is 2.5 I'm remembering

 

mk e and Dockboy: thanks for suggesting it’s a gearbox! I did some research and it is, indeed, an aftermarket power steering conversion (likely an EZ Power Steering conversion). I had no idea the car was equipped with anything like that. My rack is 3+ turns lock-to-lock, so that part’s still seems stock.

I didn’t end up needing to (or figure out how to) drop the column, but I removed the bolts from the brackets and was able to shift the entire assembly around enough to lift the pinion extension off the rack. The rack’s disassembled and cleaned, ready to replace the disintegrated bushing.

I can’t thank you enough for pointing me in the right direction. It is very much appreciated.




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